We discussed the meaning of hypocrisy tonight. We talked about how it describes a person who says they believe one thing, but their actions tell a completely different story. For example, someone says they only believe in honesty, but then they get caught time and again telling lies. Or a teenager says they take seriously the command to honor and obey their parents, but then at home constantly disrespect and disobey them by talking back and not doing what is asked of them.
We talked about how EVERYONE is a hypocrite at one time or another, whether or not they call themselves Christians. Christians especially though are held in higher accountability and, when being hypocrites, it speaks loudly about the Christian faith to those who are watching them. Often, people will say, "I don't want to go to church. That place is full of hypocrites...people who say one thing and do another."
So how do we respond to these people? We simply tell them they are right, because they are! The church is full of hypocrites. The whole world is in fact. But when trying to be a good example of the Christian faith and witness to others about Jesus, we don't want people looking at us or our actions...because we are sinful hypocrites! We want them looking at Jesus and His actions while He was here on earth because He is the ONLY person who could never be accused of being a hypocrite. He lived what He believed.
To further illustrate hypocrisy, we brought cupcakes for the kids to eat for snack tonight...but not just any cupcakes! 12 of the cupcakes we made, we put enough cotton balls in the center of the cupcake papers to fill the middles before we poured the batter over them and baked them. We decorated them with both icing and sprinkles to make them look very appetizing on the outside. They were also bigger. The other 12 cupcakes had no cotton balls in them, but we also only put icing on them and did not dress them up with sprinkles or any other extras to make them more attractive on the outside. They were a bit smaller too.
Boy did we have some disgusted kids when they took a bite only to find what appeared to be rottenness inside! Sweet Kirsten chewed her cotton ball for at least 45 seconds trying not to be rude or insult my baking! Hanna looked and said, "I think one of my dogs rolled in my cupcake!" Mandi asked if we baked our cat Louie into them. And of course, all of the kids picked the sprinkle cupcakes because they were the most appealing to them, the best looking on the outside.
We talked about how we can dress ourselves up on the outside, put our best foot forward, wear a smile, and exude a good attitude when we go places...to church, school, friends' houses, etc... But God sees the inside! He sees our hearts. He knows the rottenness inside and that makes us hypocrites...one thing on the outside while another on the inside. Some people may be beautiful on the outside, but inside they hide a very mean, selfish, and hateful heart. Others may seem a little plain or less attractive in appearance, but inside they are loving, gentle, and kind. Not to say that you can't be beautiful both inside and out either.
Matthew 23:25 - 25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
If they had any doubts what hypocrisy was before this object lesson, they sure didn't afterwards! And of course we ended the evening making sure everyone got one of the yummy, cotton ball free cupcakes.
Our closing Scripture was Matthew 23:27-28 - 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
We often show a different personality on the outside than the person we are in reality. Jesus called the pharisees "rotting graves with whitewashed tombstones". Cemeteries are actually quite tranquil and beautiful on the surface. There are flowers, statues, and beautiful memorials to loved ones that have died...but beneath the surface there are rotting bodies.
Our final question to the kids? "Does your icing match your cupcakes?"
